One&Only Mandarina, Riviera Nayarit

On an untouched stretch of coastline, One&Only Mandarina emerges from an emerald-hued rainforest to reveal a luxurious hideaway. 105 stylish treehouses and clifftop villas peek from the canopy to overlook silken sands and a swimmable beach from private plunge pools. A place to escape the world, it’s just you and the splendour of nature here. Set off on jungle trails and tropical currents as you uncover the brimming biodiversity of this corner of Mexico before sitting down to cutting-edge cuisine that draws on local ingredients at either of the three restaurants.

Location

Fringing the Pacific Ocean is a vast coastal rainforest that sits atop emerald cliffs, amid winding estuaries and beneath the might of the Sierra del Vallejo. Tucked away at the heart of it all is One&Only Mandarina. From Puerto Vallarta, it’s just over an hour’s drive past the glamour of Punta Mita, through the swathes of palm groves and pineapple fields to your jungle hideaway. Once you’ve arrived, you really need not leave. Swim straight off the beach, hike across unique topography and saddle up with the equestrian club. Should you wish to venture further, however, the architecture of San Sebastian del Oeste’s Pueblos Magicos and the volcanic vistas (and namesake spirits) of Tequila await.

Your Room

It is only right that in their jungled setting, the rooms at One&Only Mandarina are not rooms at all, but treehouses. Perched 12m high in the canopy, they snatch glimpses of the ocean through a foliage-fringed lens. Views that are best seen, might we add, from the infinity-edge plunge pools that feature in every room. The villas, meanwhile, sit perched upon clifftops and take full advantage of the ocean that rolls before them. United by an aesthetic driven by the nature that surrounds them, these are intensely private spaces, designed to reconnect you to the world around you. Tones are rich and earthy with spaces cavernous and open to the elements at every opportunity. For those looking for extra privacy, or perhaps travelling with families in tow, we loved the two-bed Villa Pacifico, complete with its own cinema. Though one look at the sunset views and we doubt you’ll need it.

Why we like it

Celebrating the beauty that surrounds it, One&Only Mandarina offers no shortage of means to explore. Out at sea, you’ll stand up paddleboard along rainforest estuaries and catch a wave out at Sayulita whilst, between May and September, you’ll swim in the warm Pacific waters in the company of whale sharks. On land, get a taste of the riviera with plant-based dining in the shadow of the centuries-old La Abuela tree, cooking classes in the art of the taco and an astronomer-led meal beneath the stars. Or perhaps, you’ll spend your time beneath the shade of the Higuera trees, in the soothing embrace of the spa where you’ll discover ancient healing rituals lead by an in house shaman and embrace the healing power of nature. Whatever you do here, you’ll do it all far away from the everyday.